“Our connectivity logically emanates from the closeness of cultures and religious traditions – caravan’s roads of Central Asia with South Asia – Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh”, he said.
Ambassador Oybek Arif Usmanov said this while addressing the opening ceremony of the photo exhibition titled “Joint Cultural Heritage”, organized by the Ministry for Culture and National Heritage.
Uzbek envoy said that the rich scientific and cultural legacy of such great Ulemas like Imam Al-Bukhari, Imam Al-Termizi, Al-Motrudi and Marghinani scholars as Abu Ali Ibn Sina, Al-Ferghany, Abu Raiyan Al-Beruni and Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Mirza Ghalib is considered as a richest and common heritage of our religion.
He said the brilliant works of Rahman Baba, Khushhal Khan Khattak, Allama Iqbal, Jalaluddin Rumi, Makhtumquli Fraghi, Sadriddin Aini, Mirza Galib, Alisher Navoi are well known in the world’s history, science and culture.
Oybek Arif Usmanov said the period of our interactions was brightly manifested during the era of the Ghandhara and Harappa civilizations, with the civilizations Saikhun and Jaihun rivers, Moghulistan and Khorasan cities -Samarqand, Bukhara, Khwarazm, Termez which are the well-known centers of Islamic cultural, enlightenment and sciences.
“I’m sure that all Pakistanis are well aware of the common great heritage of such dynasties like Amir Taymur and Zahiruddin Muhammad Babar. The great successors of Bukharis, Mughals, Barlas, Termizi, and Mirsas in Pakistan are bright followers of our connectivity, promoting the mutual understanding among our nations, he said .”
In the last years, our brotherly cooperation has been elevated to a level of strategical partnership due to confident political dialogue, strengthening the trade and industrial, and cultural cooperation.
For the last 3 years, we together have increased bilateral trade via brotherly Afghanistan based on Transit and Preferential trade agreements.
Ambassador of Uzbekistan and Pakistan, Oybek Arif Usmanov said, “Today we have been able to show to the Pakistani public and Diplomatic corpse the retrospective and historical photos demonstrating the very active dynamic interaction of Uzbek and Pakistani leaders – Presidents, Prime Ministers and federal ministers.
He  said that after 3 decades of our active interaction let`s focus on 1) the Connectivity strategy of our two regions South Asia and Central Asia 2) the implementation of the projects for boosting trade and economics,  transport linkages – cultural and people-to-people-connectivity.
He said that this strategic approach is also actively promoted by our country`s governments and experts’ community and most importantly supported by our young generation.
Oybek Arif Usmanov said that every year the bilateral trade is growing at 40-50% ($317 mln in 10 months 2023) and no doubt that our teams along with our colleagues will reach the goals of the recently signed 1 bln trade record, (Inshallah).
Let me express confidence that with the valuable and tireless efforts of both sides, we will be able to gain remarkable results – strengthening people-to-people contacts and business-to-business forums while developing region-to-region connectivity.
He said the relevant protocol on it was signed in Ashkhabad city, the capital of Turkmenistan on May 10, 1992.
A copy of that document is also displayed today in our exhibition.
The Ambassador admired two highly skilled artists – photographers Mr. Ramzan Mughal and Mr Fazan Rabi who during the last several years made beautiful photos of our common national and cultural heritage.